THE OFFENSE OF "HAPPY HOLIDAYS"

A MISSIONAL VIEW OF CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS

“Merry Christmas” offends these days. Christmas trees offend, and The Ten Commandments too. Symbols of Christianity are increasingly getting the thumbs down…if you haven’t noticed.

What’s the Christian’s response? How do we act and speak when our Bibles are contraband on campus, when our emblems are removed, when our buildings are denuded of their crosses? What will be your response when your daughter calls saying, “Mom. Can you bring me another shirt? The school counselor says I can’t wear the one I have on from the church retreat, because it offends some students?”

When Christian symbols move from politically incorrect to politically illegal what should we do? Hide them? Fight the officers who come to seize them? Litigate over our rosaries and crosses? It is a tough issue, but there is perhaps a clear answer in the Gospels.

The disciples of Jesus gawked, “What a marvelous sight! Jesus, just take a look at the magnificence of these stoned walls!” Oh, and yes, the walls were impressive. They were holy walls; representative of the Glory (read that God) of Israel. They stood for a mighty nation with a mighty God-YHWH.

Do we recall Jesus’ response? “Ho hum. Don’t be overly impressed, boys. They aren’t THAT important. Rome will roll them down one day.”

No images. No icons. Nothing we can point to or at and say, “There it is there, or here it is over here.” Nothing that we cling to besides YHWH. God has always warned us not to attach any significance to symbols. Within His clear desire for us to live free of spiritual icons, I submit that we’re being done a favor by our societal ‘enemies’.

When the highway patrolman pulls me over one day to fine me for the IXTHUS (The fish emblem) on my car, or my “REPENT OR BURN” bumper sticker (I don’t have one, by the way.) I’m going to be sad, but I’ll not fight. I’m going to take it as a grand opportunity to demonstrate what that emblem stood for–Jesus.

“Officer,” I might begin. “Removing that bumper sticker is something I’ve needed to do for a long time, actually. You’ve helped me a lot today.”

It is likely that he’ll be startled by such a response. “You looked a little surprised at my response, Officer. I'll bet that other Christians haven’t responded to you very kindly have they? I apologize. We’ve put too much emphasis on our symbols and not enough on how we treat people. I’m sorry, Sir. Hope you can overlook our failures. They don’t really reflect Jesus very well. We’ve sort of made a mess of doing that.”

How do you think such a reply might affect an unbeliever soured on holier-than-thou Popes and Pastors, sickened by begging televangelists, and immunized against traditional church attitudes? What power might be released by a genuine admission of sloppy righteousness coupled with a humble apology?

What will the world think when we separate ourselves from our images; when we are happy to hand over our portraits of Jesus, our lent wreaths, and our purple robed crosses, and happier yet to hand out bowls of hot soup and blankets on cold nights, lift sandbags against flooding river banks, hold the hands of the bereaved, and sit with the dying? What WILL the world think? I imagine they'll be shocked. They'll be taken aback. They may even be impressed, but....actually, why should we be care very much what they think? Isn't the greater question, "What will YHWH think?"

It is, and I believe we can know what He will think. Undoubtedly, He will be impressed saying, OH! My, what a marvelous sight! That will be both a happy and a holy day.”

For more thoughts on Missional Living: www.TheMissionalLife.com/blog

Humans Treated Like Objects

A couple of months ago I listened to the FBI and Sheriff's dept. do a presentation on human trafficking and underaged prostitution. I was at the regular Attny Gen. Sexual Assault Task Force meeting where we had been discussing "sex industries" and prostitution. Interesting conversation that most ministers don't have on a regular basis. I would have to say that the team I work with (about 15) have opened my eyes to a world of evil that I never learned about.

The FBI presentation blew me away.

As stated in an earlier post, "I live in America for cryin out loud. How can we have one of the highest human trafficking problems in the world?" We rank up there with many other countries.
During the presentation I emailed the presenters and asked what the faith community can do. I got a response that afternoon.

I met Keith the next week. Keith is a deputy sheriff and head of the Human Trafficking Task Force for the county. I listened as he shared how this problem had become so big. Even worse, the schools have pimps preying on teen boys and girls. An underaged prostitute can bring over $200,000 per year to a pimp. One teen boy or girl can make a guy live better than 60% of people in our country (tax free). Even worse he shared how other major cities report to him that Portland has become a feeder town for many other cities. The I-5 corridor is not only a major route for drugs, it is also for girls, boys, and women from many countries.

Keith shared that he has to take sedatives to sleep sometimes because of what he sees.

He shared some of the dark stories worldwide that he sees and reads about.

He mapped out a plan that a church could do to help.

He has a lot of government money for awareness and training but little for actual aid for those fleeing a pimp. He wants to train people to share with faith communities.

He shared with me that some stores sold "Pimp and Ho" Halloween costumes for 11-14 yr old kids. This evil is glammorized.

He asked me to accompany him to one of the high schools to talk about this. I did and the school has developed a committee to do a one day workshop with the students. My son goes to this school. I walked away realizing that God works in the public schools.

I prayed for him as we left the meeting. He is a man of great courage.

He said something else that stuck. "I entered this thinking it was an easy place to retire. I had my eyes opened. I hope that when I die I help as many as possible to be free. That's what is important to me." Sounds like something Jesus, Paul, and Peter would have said.

I never heard him talk about church. He never mentioned his faith tradition. He didn't talk about the church being a big help in this issue. He just asked for our help.

Once again I saw God working in a world of evil. I see that God will work and I have seen some of Jesus's soldiers forming for battle.

Two women have been watching movies and documentaries about this issue. They have been writing about it on their My Space and Face Book. I found this out when I came home and told Lori about our meeting. These are ready to act. One attends Agape. The other is a college student who will join us in the summer to intern with Lori. Keith needs people to liason, be trained, and speak to local organizations/churches about working on the task force. I shared this with them. They are ready.

God is working in the strangest of places-. I shouldn't be surprised--it is My Father's World.

The UN has designated this year as a focus on human rights in communities. I was asked to participate on a panel at the Portland City Hall concerning domestic violence. I sat with 5 other professionals to talk and then participate in Q and A.

One of the panelists, who was Vietnamese, shared her story about being at a store purchasing a tent. The store was out and the sales associate called the manager over to ask what she should do since the tent was on sale. The Vietnamese woman spoke perfect English. When the manager came over she said loudly, "If youuuu come back Monday we have tent for you..." and she made a triangle sign with her fingers. Stacy very politely smilled and said, "Thank you very much, I will come back Monday to pick the tent up." The manager began to apologize. Stacey's daughter asked, "Mommy, why did that lady make a triangle sign and talk to us loudly."

Another panelist is a PhD. at Oregon Health and Sciences Univeristy and as a psychologist does research and work with women at prisons. She was born in Iran and moved here when she was 5. She shared stories of how the police have treated her and how she has been treated since 9-11.

Both these women are leaders in Portland in addressing domestic abuse among women. They are highly qualified in their fields.

I listened to these stories and thought, "I live in America for cryin out loud! How in the world can a country that prides itself in social justice, welcoming the poor and hurting, and freedom still be dealing with this issue? We're supposed to be a Christian nation."

Then I remembered the movie Crash.

Then they talked about their expeirences with churches. They talked about the victims they work with and their churches. Needless to say it was not positive.

When it was my turn to talk about faith communities and working with abusive men I had to agree with most of what the panel said. I think they appreciated it. Many of our churches are like our country--they do not listen to the little people. I think this is why Christianity is declining in America. The little people are leaving.

I hear a lot of white middle class males tell me that the most discrimitated against people in America are white middle class males. Maybe they should listen to other people, especially women, to hear their stories. I've never felt discriminated against. Maybe my responsibility as a white middle class male is to stand up for those who are oppressed. Maybe my responsibility is to confront the oppressors and make sure I never become one. Make sure my 3 boys do not become oppressors as well.

Maybe we should just listen to other people.

However, at Agape we will seek to be like Jesus. He was unique in that he held children, touched children, spent time with slaves, and interacted with women. I think that must be why Mark and Luke want us to know that crowds followed him, pressed upon him, and listened to him. In Luke 15:1 after his challenging hard sermon about giving everything up to follow him (Luke 14:25-33) the sinners and tax collectors came forward. But the Pharisees and teachers of God's law stood back and scoffed at his ministry. Why not, his ministry was growing and their's wasn't.
We need more churches like Jesus' today. In spite of what the critics think.

It really matters what the little people think. They are the brothers and sisters of Jesus (Matthew 25).